Liquid transportation and storage apparatus



March 6, 1934. STENDRUP 1,949,981

LIQUID TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 19, 1930INVENTOR flarr /7. J'fe/m rup MVM ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITEDSTATES PATENT QFFEQE LIQUID TRANSPORTATION AND STQRAGE AFPARATUS Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for thetransportation and storage of liquid materials. One of the principalobjects of the present invention is to provide means adapted 5 to permitthe introduction or liquid materials being rapidly transported throughpipe lines into large receptacles or containers, such as storage tanks,settling vats and the like, in such a manner as to minimize turbulenceand agitation of the material in the container by the introduced liquid.

The apparatus of the invention is of especial value and application inconnection with the transportation and storage of volatile liquids, suchas gasoline, since the elimination of violent agitation materiallyreduces evaporation losses. Some idea of the extent of evaporationlosses resulting in the transportation and storage of volatile liquidsmay be obtained from the fact that in 20 pumping gasoline from tanksteamers into storage tanks by the present methods evaporation losses ofas hi h as 2000 gallons of gasoline are frequently encountered inemptying a single boat. Similarly, the apparatus of the invention may beemployed to advantage when introducing liquids to storage or settlingtanks containing finely divided solid or semi-solid materials, or two ormore liquids of different specific gravities where it is desired toprevent or minimize dispersion of one material through the other orothers.

In general, the apparatus of the invention comprises a tank or containerhaving an inlet connection opening thereinto, the discharge end of theinlet connection being provided with an elbow the cross-sectional areaand radius of curvature of which progressively increase in such a mannerthat the velocity of a liquid passing into the oontainer through theinlet connection will be gradually reduced to a minimum and turbulencesubstantially eliminated.

The accompanying drawing illustrates apparatus embodying the inventionand the invention will be more fully described in connection therewith.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section, with parts broken away,illustrating a portion of the shell of a tank having an inlet connectionequipped with an elbow of progressively increasing cross-sectional areaopening into the tank;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig.1, and

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section of a modified form of apparatusembodying the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the apparatus therein illustrated comprises aportion of the side and bottom oi a tank shell 1 into which an inletconnection 2 extends. lhe inlet connection is provided with a flange 3at the discharge end and the elbow 4 is secured to this flan e in asuitable manner. The elbow 4 is arranged so that the open end isdirected downwardly. The cross-sectional area and the radius ofcurvature of the elbow- 4 increase progressively from the end of theelbows see ".red to the flange 3. The elbow 4 may be made or" cast ironor any other suitable material. Where it is necessary to introduce theelbow into the tank or container through a relatively small opening, theelbow may advantageously be constructed of two symmetrical halves joinedby means of longitudinal flanges, as shown in the drawing. A pluralityof longitudinal webs 5 are arranged parallel to the direction of flow ofliquid through the elbow, in the illustrated apparatus. These websdirect the liquid flow axialiy and reduce turbulence within the eibowand promote a more even discharge therefrom. The elbow a shown assupported by spacing biocks 6 secured to the discharge end of the elbow.The height of the spacing blocks 6 should be sufiicient to insure a freearea between the lower rim of the elbow and the bottom of the tank atleast as great as the cross-sectional area of the discharge end of theelbow. Where the apparatus is employed in connection with the handlingof inflammable materials, such as gasoline, the spacing blocks 6 mayadvantageously be made of wood or other relatively soi t and resilientmaterials so that the danger of striking sparks as a result ofany-movement oi the elbow relative to the bottom of the tank will beavoided. The discharge end of the elbov. i in the illustrated apparatusis surrounded by an annular retaining ring '7 of substantially greaterdiameter than the discharge end of the elbow. This annuiar retainingring ertends from the bottom of the tank to a point above the lower rimor" the elbow. In a permanent installation the retaining ring '7 may besecured to the bottom of the tank in a position concentric with thedischarge end of the elbow 4.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified form of the apparatus of the invention inwhich the inlet connection is provided with a pair or" elbows 8 looselyconnected to form a conventional swing line adapted to permit thedischarge end of the inlet connection to be raised or lowered tocompensate for the accumulation or discharge of sediment or other heavymaterial in the bottom of the tank. In this form of apparatus theannular retaining ring may advantageously be connected to the elbow 4 bysupporting webs 9 so that the retaining ring will always maintain thesame position relative to the discharge end of the elbow 4 even when thelatter is raised or lowered. If the form of apparatus illustrated inFig. 3 is to be employed in connection with the handling of inflammablematerial, the lower edge of the annular retaining ring mayadvantageously be provided with a rim of wood or other relatively softmaterial to guard against the striking of the sparks. It is notessential that the spacing blocks 6 be employed in the form of apparatusillustrated in Fig. 3 as the supporting webs 9 may be arranged tomaintain the discharge end of the elbow 4 in the proper position withrespect to the bottom of the tank or the sediment accumulated therein onwhich the retaining ring 7 rests. Spacing blocks 6 similar to thoseemployed in the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 may, however, beemployed in connection with the type of apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3and where spacing blocks are so employed the spacing blocks mayadvantageously extend a slight distance below the lower rim of theretaining ring '7. With the latter arrangement no special precautionsneed be taken to protect the lower rim of the retaining ring.

In the operation of the apparatus of the present invention a liquidmaterial to be supplied to the tank 1 through the inlet connection 2passes through the elbow 4 in which its direction of flow is graduallychanged and the velocity of flow reduced so that the liquid issues fromthe discharge end of the elbow 4 in a compact stream flowing at anextremely low velocity. When the amount of liquid in the tank 1 issufiicient to maintain a liquid level above the discharge end of theelbow 4 the entering liquid is distributed outwardly through the annularopening between the bottom of the tank and the discharge end of theelbow 4 without causing noticeable agitation of the liquid body. Due tothe fact that in large storage tanks a substantial volume of liquid isrequired to provide a relatively small liquid depth throughout theentire tank, the annular retaining ring 7, while not essential to thesatisfactory operation of the apparatus under all conditions,accumulates a liquid body surrounding the discharge end of the elbowalmost instantaneously so that the most satisfactory condition ofoperation, namely, that existing when discharge from the inletconnection is below the surface of a liquid body, is almost immediatelyattained. It is not essential that the lower rim of the retaining ring'7 form a tight joint with the bottom of the tank or container as theretaining ring serves its entire purpose if it comes in sufiicientlyclose proximity to the bottom of the tank to prevent the escape ofliquid from beneath the lower rim of the retaining ring as fast as therate at which liquid is introduced to the tank through the inletconnection.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination comprising acontainer, an inlet conduit opening into said container, an elbow thecross sectional area and radius of curvature of which progressivelyincrease toward the discharge end, said elbow being secured to saidinlet conduit with the discharge end directed downwardly, and means forsupporting said elbow in a position relative to the bottom of thecontainer so that the free area between the lower rim of the elbow andthe bottom of the container is at least as great as the cross sectionalarea of the discharge end of the elbow.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination comprising acontainer, an inlet connection opening into said container, said inletconnection terminating in an elbow the cross sectional area and radiusof curvature of which progressively increase toward the discharge end,and supporting means of resilient material arranged to maintain thedischarge end of said elbow out of contact with the bottom of thecontainer.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination comprising acontainer, an inlet connection opening into said container, said inletconnection terminating in an elbow the cross sectional area and radiusof curvature of which progressively increase towards the discharge end,and a plurality of longitudinal webs within said elbow parallel to theaxis thereof.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination comprising acontainer, an inlet connection opening into said container, said inletconnection terminating in an elbow the cross sectional area and radiusof curvature of which progressively increase toward the discharge end,and an annular retaining ring of substantially greater diameter than thedischarge end of said elbow, said retaining ring being disposedconcentric with the discharge end of the said elbow and extended fromthe bottom of the container to a point above the discharge end of theelbow.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination comprising acontainer, an inlet connection opening intosaid container, said inletconnection terminating in a downwardly directed elbow the crosssectional area and radius of curvature of which progressively increasetoward the discharge end, an annular retaining ring of substantiallygreater diameter than the discharge end of said elbow and a plurality ofradially disposed supporting webs extending from the discharge end ofsaid elbow to said annular retaining ring and adapted to maintain theretaining ring in a position concentric with the discharge end of theelbow.

HARRY A. STENDRUP.

